Trev: Our Joe can go all the way

WEST HAM legend Trevor Brooking believes Joe Cole can finally write his name
into Upton Park’s hall of greats.

Sir Trev has heralded the return of a player once regarded the brightest-ever
Hammers prospect.

And it is apt Cole — one of West Ham’s lost generation — is set to make his
second East London bow in the FA Cup today against a Manchester United team
that thrived with their golden generation.

While West Ham ended up selling the likes of home-produced talent such as Rio
Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson and
Cole, Alex Ferguson dominated English football with Old Trafford academy
stars like Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and David
Beckham.

Brooking was caretaker manager of the talented Hammers team that were
incredibly relegated in 2003, which was captained by Cole and led to his
£6.7million move to Chelsea.

The Hammers great said: “Joe has always had a soft spot for the club and been
a popular figure for fans.

“Even when he scored against us before Christmas with Liverpool, he didn’t
celebrate.

“It’ll be interesting to see how he comes back now he is experienced rather
than a emerging star.

“Let’s hope we can give him a good late spell in his career as there is a lot
of affinity between him and the fans.

“During my three-game spell in charge at the end of that season, I remember
Joe in training. He could dribble past anyone. And sometimes you wanted him
to veer his game and release the ball quicker.

“He’d beat three people and then lose the ball on the fourth attempt. And his
dribbling skills didn’t have that cutting edge that they should have done.

“Then there was the issue of where to play him? Do you play him centre
midfield, channel him wide or in the hole behind the main striker?

“We had a lot of injuries during his last season and he was forced to play in
many different positions, which may not have been good for him.

“It’ll be interesting to see where he fits into Sam Allardyce’s system – but
certainly he has the skill and experience to be a success. It’s up to him
now to be the first name on the team-sheet.”

Cole ended the 2002-03 season as Hammer of the Year but the club’s relegation
forced them to sell top assets to avoid financial meltdown.

And Sir Trev remembers: “We needed to raise £20m to survive and had to sell
Joe and Glen Johnson to Chelsea.

“Trevor Sinclair and Freddie Kanoute also went and we ended up selling Defoe
in January and Michael Carrick after losing the play-off final to Crystal
Palace.

“During my era as a player, it was easier for clubs to keep their top talent.

“Relegation didn’t cost the amount of money it does today and I was able to
continue playing international football when we went down in 1977 because
Ron Greenwood, my old West Ham manager who became England coach, told me
he’d keep picking me.

“If you produce a young international now outside the top four or five clubs,
it’s difficult to keep them — because the top teams can pay them the wages
that middle-tier sides can’t afford.

“Manchester United are probably the only side that are truly able to keep hold
of their top young talent because they play them often enough and can pay
good wages.”

Brooking believes West Ham’s best bet going forward is to continue developing
players, stay in the top flight to wipe out their debts and buy sensibly
with any revenue they generate from future sales and Premier League money.

Their proposed move to the Olympic Stadium will also give them a chance of
competing — although Sir Trev admits: “It remains to be seen if West Ham can
fill a 50,000-60,000 stadium every week because the club has never been in
that position, so it’s an unknown.”

Big Sam is finally winning plaudits at Upton Park for playing attractive
football — rather than the “hoof-style” he is often labeled with.

Brooking is a big fan and said: “It was always unfair for people to compare
Sam to former West Ham managers like Greenwood and John Lyall.

“The old West Ham Way is the philosophy and style that people talk about from
my generation in the late 1960s and 1970s. But we are now in 2013 and the
game has changed drastically.

“However you view Sam at times, as people have, West Ham this year have played
decent.

“In the Championship it was harder because we were the coveted team everyone
wanted to beat and sides came to us and sat back — and the onus was on us to
break them down and we found it difficult at times.

“This year, the owners have done well for Sam. They’ve supported him in
changing the squad, realising it’s important to get those three-pointers and
win matches. And Sam has done that.

“If you said to a fan at the start of the season we’d have 26 points and be
sitting 11th in the league at this stage they’d have snatched your hand off.”

Fergie this week said he still plans to manage United for another “two or
three years” despite now being aged 71.

But Brooking reckons United’s greatest manager probably feels 20 years younger
because of the exciting challenge each season brings.

He said: “At 71 he thrives and while he is able to replicate the success he
has enjoyed for the last 20-plus years he probably feels 51.

“If he gives it up, he might worry he’ll stagnate quickly. While life is so
buoyant and a rollercoaster, he probably thrives on that and wouldn’t be the
same individual without it.

“It’s easy for people to say he should pack up but each year brings a new
challenge. You must admire the success he has, his enthusiasm, his ability
to be able to reproduce a competitive squad and particularly with the lower
budget he has had the past few seasons.”